OWAMBE SYNDROME

OWAMBE SYNDROME
‘I will celebrate the occasion to the extent that the world will hear and the heavens will know”. Have you ever heard such a comment? In this part of the world it is quite normal for people to want to outmatch the celebration of others. The average individual planning for wedding, burial or birthday ceremony tends to appraise all such occasions he has attended and then out do them. As a result of the capital intensiveness of such a party people tend to use their saving, sell their investments or even go a borrowing to meet the financial requirement of the occasion.
“I will dress to kill, I will call a popular musician; the reception will be at the pool side of the most expensive hotel, wine will flow like water. I will kill 25 cows”. The list can be endless. We plan as if after the Saturday there won’t be a Sunday. If you actually put together how much some people put into parties you will be dazed. While some people spend the colossal amount comfortably, many others are indebted for many months afterwards.
The main constituent of the occasion are usually not expensive the essence of a birthday is to thank God for adding another year to your life. The essence of a naming ceremony is to give the baby a name. Burial ceremony is all about committing the old man or woman to mother earth. Wedding is just to give legal consent to an intending couple to be married. In the real sense of it, you will discover that the cost for any of there occasions is not too much. All other things are peripheral. It’s just that somehow we tend to major on the minor and minor on the major.
Have you ever considered celebrating your Christmas in an orphanage or the school for the disabled? Have you ever given a thought to celebrating Christmas with prisoners in their chapel? I hope my suggestions do not look outrageous and ridiculous. Your next birthday thanksgiving may be an endowment to needy students. Whatever you do, please be modest and moderate.
Why should you suffer for many weeks because of an event of some few hours? Why should there be unnecessary conflicts in your nucluear family because you have to incur debt to finance the burial of an old man? I want you to realize that the dead man will appreciate a low decent burial without conflicts than an extravagant ceremony with inhouse fighting lasting for several decades afterwards.
Do your best with what you have. There is no point incurring debt to please people. Faultfinders can hardly be satisfied. If you can’t afford the extended family attire, don’t be ashamed to say so. If you can, fine but don’t crucify those who can’t. For once have a simple ceremony and let them say.